Method for logging on a portable part at a base station and base station for carrying out the method

ABSTRACT

A method, and base station, are provided for logging on a portable part at a base station having activating capabilities for more than a single associated portable part, wherein the base station, before a log-on mode is actually switched on, performs a check for an operable connection from the base station to a telecommunication network and, if the check has a positive result, the log-on mode is kept switched off by the base station.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

For the logging on of a portable part at a so-called DECT (DigitalEnhanced Cordless Telecommunications) base station which is capable ofsimultaneously controlling more than only one single associated portablepart, the base station must be placed into a log-on mode. During thelog-on mode, which is switched on for only a limited period for safetyreasons, the base station is capable of accepting measures for loggingon a portable part and of accepting the log-on of the portable part.

Today, base stations are known, for example by Hagenuk, which switch tothe log-on mode when a supply voltage for the base station is newlyapplied or the supply voltage is applied again to the base station afterprevious elimination of the supply voltage.

This method makes it possible to manufacture base stations without aseparate key especially for switching on the log-on mode.

The disadvantageous factor in such a method for logging on portableparts at a base station is that, in principle, it is possible to producea short-time failure of the supply voltage of the base station withoutaccess to the area in which the base station is set up, and then to logon an outside portable part remote from the base station at the basestation during the period of the log-on mode.

In this manner, it would be possible to telephone at someone else'scost. The failure of the supply voltage of the base station could beproduced illegally by operating the corresponding fuses for a shorttime; for example, in the case of rented apartments with a fuse boxmounted in the common stairwell.

Starting with a method or a base station of the type initiallymentioned, it is an object of the present invention to improve themethod or the base station, respectively, in such a manner that anunintended or improper log-on of an outside portable part at a basestation is prevented.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Both in the method and in the base station for carrying out the method,the approach to the solution consists in safeguarding the log-on mode ofthe base station with a connection to a telecommunication network insuch a manner that a log-on is only possible if a check for an operableconnection from the base station to a telecommunication network beforethe actual switch-on of the log-on mode has the result that there is nosuch connection.

In an advantageous embodiment of the present invention, thiscircumstance is also combined with the circumstance that a supplyvoltage for the base station is newly applied or applied again to thebase station after previous elimination of the supply voltage.

The term telecommunication network shall also include networkdesignations such as telecommunication network, post-office networkand/or land line network.

Once a base station is installed, it is connected both to atelecommunication network and to a supply voltage. The base station isalso still connected to the telecommunication network if the supplyvoltage fails intentionally or unintentionally. The telecommunicationnetwork is operating independently of the supply voltage to the basestation. It has its own power supply. An existing operabletelecommunication connection exists and operates, therefore, even whenthe supply voltage to the base station is applied again. If a log-on ofa portable part at the base station is required, the authorized user ofthe base station can deliberately separate the connection to thetelecommunication network before again connecting the supply voltage. Toachieve this, an unauthorized person would have to actually penetrateinto the area close to the base station. As a rule, therefore, he/shewould have to violate existing apartment boundaries or the like.

It is highly improbable that the case occurs where simultaneously, onthe one hand, a return of the power supply to the relevant base stationafter a power interruption and, on the other hand, a failure of thetelecommunication network at this base station can happen at this timeand, in addition, an unauthorized person wishes to register an outsideportable part at the relevant base station at the same time. This isalready improbable because a telecommunication network, per se, isimplemented to be very reliable. Moreover, an unauthorized person hasvirtually no possibility of influencing the operability of thetelecommunication network from the outside.

Overall, the fact that the connection to a telecommunication networkcontinues to exist even in the case of a power failure effectivelyprevents any external manipulation or unintended false log-on after apower failure without requiring a separate key for manually switchingthe base station into a log-on mode. Security is, thus, guaranteed inthe same way as when a key is used. The operation of the key is replacedby a suitable interrogation at a suitable time.

Additional features and advantages of the present invention aredescribed in, and will be apparent from, the following DetailedDescription of the Invention and the Figures.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

FIG. 1 shows a house in which a DECT base station 1 is installed.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

As shown in FIG. 1, the DECT base station 1 is connected to atelecommunication network 2 which is represented combined by a component3 toward the outside. In the present exemplary embodiment, thetelecommunication network 2 is an ISDN network of the Post Office. TheDECT base station 1 is connected via an ISDN input 4. The DECT basestation 1 is connected to a power system 6 via a power supply 5. TheDECT base station 1 is supplied with power via the power system 6.According to the exemplary embodiment, two portable parts 7, 8 arealready logged on at the DECT base station 1. A portable part 9 issubsequently logged on in accordance with the following steps.

To log the portable part 9 on at the DECT base station 1, both theconnection to the telecommunication network 2 and to the power supplyconnection to the power system 6 are disconnected. The disconnection isdone simply by pulling corresponding plugs. With respect to the powersystem, the power supply 5 constructed as a plug is pulled out of thesocket belonging to the power system 6.

Once the connections to the telecommunication network 2 and to the powersystem 6 have been interrupted, the connection to the power system 6 isrestored. The DECT base station 1 is, thus, again supplied with power.The DECT base station 1 is switched on. In this process, the DECT basestation 1 runs through various software routines. One of the softwareroutines is used for checking whether there is an operative connectionto a telecommunication network 2. This can be done by attempting to setup a connection to the outside. Since the connection to thetelecommunication network 2 has been broken, the result of this checkwill be negative. The DECT base station 1, therefore, assumes that ashort-time power interruption has been deliberately produced in order tolog a portable part on at the DECT base station 1. The DECT base station1, therefore, switches to a log-on mode for a predetermined period oftime. Once the DECT base station 1 is in the log-on mode, the logging-onprocess can be carried out by the portable part to be logged on; in thepresent case, the portable part 9. As a rule, the logging-on processincludes various measures which are especially specified in the productdescription for the portable part 9. Once the logging-on process hasbeen concluded, the DECT base station 1 goes into its operating mode.If, finally, the connection to the telecommunication network 2 is alsorestored again, the portable part 9 can be used for telephoning by usingthe DECT base station 1 from now on.

Although the present invention has been described with reference tospecific embodiments, those of skill in the art will recognize thatchanges may be made thereto without departing from the spirit and scopeof the present invention as set forth in the hereafter appended claims.

1. A method for securely logging on a portable part at a base stationfor activating a plurality of authorized portable parts, the methodcomprising the steps of: registering the authorized portable parts atthe base station to create an authorized group; remotely interruptingpower to the base station momentarily to induce a log-on mode in thebase station, wherein the remote interruption breaks a connectionbetween the base station and a telecommunication network; monitoring alog-on mode of at least one of the registered portable parts to confirmthat a log-on mode is off; performing, via the base station, a check foran operable communication connection from the base station to atelecommunication network if the log-on mode is off; initiating a log-onprocedure wherein the log-on mode is initially kept switched off by thebase station if the check has a positive result; continuing the log-onprocedure by switching the log-on mode on for a predetermined period oftime in the base station after the interruption of the power hasoccurred, wherein the at least one of the registered portable parts isallowed to log on during the predetermined period of time as a member ofthe registered group; and switching the base station into an operatingmode after the predetermined period of time has expired.
 2. A basestation for securely logging on a portable part at the base station, thebase for activating a plurality of authorized portable parts, the basestation comprising: parts for registering the authorized portable partsat the base station to create an authorized group; a power input,wherein power is remotely interrupted momentarily to induce a log-onmode in the base station, wherein the remote interruption breaks acommunication connection between the base station and atelecommunication network; parts monitoring a log-on mode of at leastone of the registered portable parts to confirm that a log-on mode isoff; parts that check for an operable communication connection from thebase station to a telecommunication network if the log-on mode is off;parts for performing a log-on procedure, comprising: parts forinitiating a log-on procedure wherein the log-on mode is initially keptswitched off by the base station if the check has a positive result;parts for completing the log-on procedure by switching the log-on modeon for a predetermined period of time in the base station after theinterruption of the power has occurred, wherein the at least one of theregistered portable parts is allowed to log on during the predeterminedperiod of time as a member of the registered group; and switching thebase station into an operating mode after the predetermined period oftime has expired.